Contacted by SEO

Guarantees top 10 positions in 90 days...

[Gel214th]

Hello everyone.

This is my first post on this forum.

I'm interested in if anyone here has dealt with [snip] and if you know anything about their practices and their results.

I am only just starting looking to Internet Marketing to improve our Search Engine rankings. This company says they guarantee that our site will get in the top 10 listings within 90 days.

But as always, we don't know how they are going to acheive that, and if that will hurt our rankings AFTER the 90 days. We don't want our domain to be blacklisted because they used bad SEO practices.

Looking forward to any feedback, thanks much.

-Gel

[edited by: pageoneresults at 10:58 pm (utc) on Jan. 17, 2005]
[edit reason] Removed URI Reference - Please Refer to TOS [/edit]

[pendanticist]

[snipped Google search] You'll notice a guestbook is the second result? That outta tell you something.

From some preliminary reading and my knowledge of these type services, I'd stay away.

You'll get more valid information here, than anywhere.

[edited by: pageoneresults at 10:58 pm (utc) on Jan. 17, 2005]
[edit reason] Removed Specifics [/edit]

[PatrickDeese]

Welcome to webmasterworld Gel214th.

First thing you should be aware of is that specific websites shouldn't be mentioned.

I don't know this company, but I can make some SEO generalizations.

No one can make a guarantee like that.

If you read the fine print, they aren't promising to make you number one for a very competitive term, they will make you number one for terms that are not searched frequently - instead of "widget" you'll get "best widgets in the entire state of Arkansas" - or somesuch, which, lo and behold, you will certainly be #1 for, but only one person a year will ever use to find the site.

Also, Google has a little page about SEO [google.com...] and one of the first things that they recommend (and most of us agree with) is that you think twice about SEO companies that contact you out of the blue.

If you want to find a talented SEO - trying searching for related terms and see who is ranking well (those are pretty competitive search results ;) ) - and request references and follow up on them.

Otherwise you might well end up with some jockey who will end up banning your site from the search engines altogether.

[diamondgrl]

If you type the name of their company and SEO in Google, the first thing you'll find is that they are company whose reputation in this business was so bad that they had to change their name.

So that pretty much speaks for itself.

[Gel214th]

Sorry about that with the URL entry.

I found this link on Webpro News.

[snip]

I'm assuming that WebProNews is a legitimate organisation.
I called the company in question and they said that they did not change their name to ...uhh...the new name...but that they Bought over the company whatever-power.

They also said that there was a smear campaign launched against the company whatever-power with a lot of fraudulent message forums and postings by a rival SEO company.

Also, their specific terms say that 10 of the 20 keywords will be in the top 10 position. They don't say all keywords, or specify *Which* Keywords.

But we are supposed to go over the list of Keywords which they select and agree on which terms to promote. So it did not seem they would simply pick 20 phrases and we would have no say in the matter.

What I'm reading on the Better Business Buruea website is quite worrying though.

[snip]

Is this a valid BBB website?

What about the company's claims that an extensive slander campaign was launched against them?

[edited by: pageoneresults at 1:12 am (utc) on Jan. 18, 2005]
[edit reason] Removed Specifics - Please Refer to TOS [/edit]

[kevinpate]

I came along after the specifics were snipped, but no matter. A cold call "we guarantee top X in natural serps" dog don't hunt in my opinion, irrespective of which company is baying at your moon.

Committoreading the ifnormation on this site for 1-2 hours a day for a week, and before the week is up, I suspect you'll reach a similar conclusion.

The promises of a cold caller are no more likely to jet your site to the top than slapping on makeup will make every woman look like Shania Twain.

[PatrickDeese]

> What about the company's claims that an extensive slander campaign was launched against them?

Well - I would say that this BB is legit - as it is listed on the BBB.org site as the Las Vegas chapter.

Now, *they* say there was an extensive smear campaign - but what about the 57 complaints filed at the BBB?

This company, the one that this company "took over", they have a VERY bad rep in the SEO world.

Smear campaign or not, their original site has been banned from G - that's not exactly a testimonial for "best practices SEO".

[diamondgrl]

Can I ask why we're wasting time talking about this anymore? Seriously. Move on to a different company. These guys are slime and you're wasting your time and money even thinking twice about them.

And if I unfairly slandered them here, do you really have the time or want to risk your web ranking trying to figure out what boneheaded notion they got in their head to buy this slimy company?

[Gel214th]

Hmm...

Well thanks a lot guys and gals. I'm not going to go with this company. Too many what ifs, in addition to which I really don't understand the logic behind another company purchasing whatever power if it got into such hot water.

Thanks very much for the feedback, I just needed some more knowledgeable input from people in the field about this issue :)

Cheers ^_^

[pendanticist]

Don't even ask me where my manners were. <sheese>

Welcome to WebmasterWorld Gel214th :)

[pageoneresults]

Hello Gel214th, Welcome to WebmasterWorld.

I do believe that you were able to garner enough information about the mentioned company to make a informed decision on whether or not to utilize their services.

From a personal viewpoint, you would do well to avoid this type of promotion if you are in this for the long term benefit.